The Dootsie Has Spoken

A week’s worth of mail : reviews and more

First, I got two boxes from Try the World, a subscription box that focuses on both snacks and pantry staples from around the world. I got a deal on two boxes for the price of one, the Italy box and the Michelin box. While I can definitely say that it didn’t get me on as a regular subscriber ($39/mo is always a hard sell for me), I will also concede that this is one of the most interesting subscription boxes I’ve come across. The value isn’t quite there for me as a picky eater, but it completely delighted my boyfriend. He said the pesto was just like his dad’s, the hazelnut spread was pretty doggone tasty and the pineapple cakes are too cute to imagine. It was also one of the most densely packed subscription boxes I’ve ever seen, which was pretty impressive.

I also managed to snag two of Colourpop’s Mystery Grab Bags. They promised an $80 value for just $20, and I knew I would be thrilled even if I ended up with a few shades I didn’t love. The two bags were nearly identical, but the value is absolutely there. This will make for great gifting! Each bag included 1 Weekend Warrior palette ($18 retail), 3x eyeshadows ($5 each), 2x highlighters/cheek ($8 each), and 5x lippie sticks/glosses ($6 each) and 2 brushes, which they aren’t even selling online yet. If they ever do this again, I think it’s absolutely worth snagging, especially just in time for the holidays.

Another great thing I snagged was a poster from the same line as “Keep Calm and Carry On”, but with a message that I feel is much more appropriate for our current times: “Freedom is in Peril Defend it with All Your Might”.

In gift news, I received two great ones! This year, I participated in Reddit’s Secret Santa exchange. My Santa got me an Otamatone, which is the cutest little annoyatron in the world (a great gift for kids). As another great surprise, Caroline got me The Hermetic Tarot off my Amazon wishlist, which has me over the esoteric moon.